Leadership Development: Summary of Mentorship Experience

My first-year mentee, Lyndsie Leipold, is from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. She is majoring in Biology on the Pre-Vet track. Lyndsie had wanted to come to Ohio State since she was young. When she visited Mount Union after visiting OSU, she confirmed OSU was her favorite school.

I think Lyndsie and I have a lot in common. We both love dogs, donuts, adventuring, working out, and volunteering. She formed a great friend group through living on 5th floor in Smith-Steeb, just like I did last year. I found we are both intrigued by the prospect of  ghosts. Lyndsie made a short film with her friends having to do with her haunted dorm room. I went to Savannah over spring break, and my mom and I went on a ghost tour. I was sure that some of my pictures captured paranormal figures and faces. Next year, Lyndsie might go to the Mansfield Reformatory during Halloween. Another thing we have in common is getting lost when using the Columbus bus system. I have ended up in the middle of nowhere a couple of times, and Lyndsie has as well. This happened to each of us during snow flurries before, but instead of getting discouraged, I think we both looked at it like an adventure.

The differences between Lyndsie and me include what we are involved in. In addition, Lyndsie has a knack for science. She has taken many science courses, some in the same semester, that I do not think I would have been able to pass. My strengths are more math oriented. I learned that Lyndsie has a real passion for helping animals and is planning to be a vet. I love animals, too, but I could never be a veterinarian because I have so many allergies.

Lyndsie grew from the first semester because she developed her friendships further. She also grew in the second semester because she finally found a volunteer group that she enjoys serving with. This was very important to Lyndsie and her sense of self because she had always done a lot of volunteering in high school. I hope that she will continue to work with this group and find ways to lead in the future. Next, I think Lyndsie’s dog helped her through the stress of second semester. Being around Cooper is extremely relaxing, and I can see why Lyndsie decided to have him live with her at OSU. Lyndsie and Cooper brought joy to her classmates, and even brightened up the days of people she did not know at all.

In mentoring Lyndsie, I may have helped her with socialization and orientation. I tried to give her some campus involvement ideas and tips about good places to adventure. I also wanted to keep her updated on volunteering events that she could participate in to get her service hours completed. When we had conversations, I strove to be a respectful and considerate listener. We had fun on our explorations in Columbus, and these occasions hopefully gave Lyndsie an idea of what kinds of exciting opportunities this city has to offer. Whenever we both signed up to go to the same ACES event, we could count on each other to attend and be there if we needed someone to sit next to.

There are many benefits of a mentoring program. One benefit is getting to know a younger or older ACES member on a deeper level. Presently, there is not much motivation to meet ACES members from a different year. The first-year ACES bonded over living together and being in the same scholars lectures. The second-year ACES already bonded the year before and still remain close, so meeting first-years does not seem like a priority. The mentor program helps break down the barrier between first and second-year ACES. Moreover, another benefit of the mentoring program is that second-years have the opportunity to take on a bit more responsibility. They must learn to manage time wisely between their needs and the needs of their mentor. Communication skills grow as a result of the program, too. Working through busy schedules to find free times to meet means that mentors and mentees must follow up with each other often.

From being a second-year mentor, I learned about relating to others interests and finding common ground. I also learned how I could be a better mentor in future mentorships. I would have liked to involve my mentee in more activities and provide her with more resources for stress and time management. I developed as a leader through this program because I participated in self-reflection, face-to-face conversation, and guiding my mentee to certain involvements which suited her personality.

Second Explore Columbus Assignment

Lyndsie and I “explored Columbus” while staying close to our dorm. Finals week was keeping us very busy, so for our study break, we visited The Little Donut Shop. When I suggested it, Lyndsie texted back “Oh awesome yes I love that place!!” I was most looking forward to sitting down with Lyndsie to have a nice conversation and pig out on delicious chocolaty donuts. I was so excited when she I met her in the lobby and realized her dog Cooper would be joining us. He is such a sweet and loving dog!

It had been pouring all day, so I wore rain boots and carried an umbrella, and Lyndsie had her rain jacket. Fortunately, the sky cleared up for our short walk to The Little Donut Shop. When we opened the front door, we were hit with the scent of fry oil and cake. We approached the counter, and all the donuts were temptingly displayed with their creative, delectable toppings. I worked at this shop for a couple months last semester, so I talked with one of my old coworkers while Lyndsie and I picked out our treats. We shared a half dozen box–three for each of us. I even found a coupon to use! We both picked m&m and Milky Way donuts. She chose Cookie Dough for her third, and I chose Oreo. All the donuts from this shop are small cake donuts dipped in frosting and then dipped into a topping. The m&m donuts are vanilla dipped with m&m’s on top. The Milky Way is chocolate dipped with chocolate chips and caramel sauce drizzled on top. Cookie Dough is chocolate dipped with a chocolate chip streusel topping. Oreo is vanilla dipped and topped with Oreo cookie crumbles. I also ordered a hot coffee, which went perfectly with all the sweetness of our food.

The Little Donut Shop has a fun atmosphere. Their decor is modern and casual. All the seats are bar stools, so the tables are up high. Lyndsie and I sat along the wall. We were the only customers for while, until a group came in to taste test donuts for a wedding. Cooper stood between us looking up at the food, waiting for any crumbs to drop. He successfully managed to eat lots of crumbs because our donuts were messy. I enjoyed petting him for the whole hour or so that we were there.

The delicious chocolaty donuts that I looked forward to pigging out on did not disappoint. I think Lyndsie enjoyed hers too! My favorite was the Milky Way… it has been my favorite ever since last semester when I first tried it. Lyndsie reminded me that sometimes The Little Donut Shop donuts are served at OSU volunteer events. In fact, when ACES volunteered during Clean-Up Columbus last semester, the donuts we ate for breakfast were made by coworker!

I would definitely return to The Little Donut Shop. I try not to go often because the donuts are so rich and overloaded with sugar. When life gets hard though, a sugar overload can fix everything. I also would totally recommend it to other mentors and mentees. It is super fun to pick out the donuts, and they are easy to share. Mentors and mentees could even try a variety of flavors by splitting the donuts in half. The Little Donut Shop’s prices are reasonable, too. A half dozen is $6 and a dozen is $10. I can also attest that the Little Donut Shop takes precautions to ensure cleanliness and food safety. I am OCD about cleaning, and I felt comfortable there as an employee with how things were managed. The location is perfect for mentors and mentees that do not have access to a car and do not want to take a long bus ride. It is right across from the Union.

Through this assignment, I learned that exploring Columbus is not out of reach, even on a low budget and with limited time. There are many cool places nearby to explore. Supporting a local business is always rewarding, too. Another thing I noticed is that when going somewhere familiar, the experience changes depending the company. Lyndsie and I had both been to The Little Donut Shop before, but it still felt like a special occasion because we had never gone with each other. I make new memories at this shop every time I go in. Working there was very different from being a customer, and I enjoyed being able to just relax.